108

The Ritual of life

The declaration.

The ritual of running.

The spirituality of endurance.

The yoga of breath.

The reflection of self.

I don’t run for glory.

I run because I can.

I run to challenge myself.

I move to raise awareness

around the need to help others.

I began a ritual many years ago.

Back then, I had no idea at all.

After failure, I pushed myself and completed a sprint triathlon

my first endurance medal.

Since then, I’ve done a half iron,

a marathon,

and a 52 km ultra.

I’ve done many self-supported runs,

the most recent a 55 km fun run

from Humber Bay to Burlington.

Currently, I’m signed up for three official races:

→ 50 km Fat Ass Ultra

→ 50 miles at Sulphur Springs

→ 52 km at the Middle Path

Between now and August.

The ritual began with that calf injury in the sprint…

and it will finish after 108 medals.

Only races that are 50 km+ or half irons+ will count.

I don’t expect this to be short.

It’s a commitment to myself for the next decade

to thrive, to be my best.

Because running is more than a race.

It’s how I connect to the Creator.

It’s how I realize: I am Shiva. I am That. All is One.

Some find themselves in ashrams.

Others in yoga retreats.

For me, it’s the wilderness

the song of the birds,

the flow of the rivers.

The solitude I embrace

as I breathe through the kilometers,

melting into consciousness itself.

We repeat mantras 108 times on beads.

Each race becomes one of those mantras.

A transformation of self.

Growth to keep evolving.

Some people look at aging as a decline.

I see it as evolution.

A rise, a fall

all laced within the beauty of the moment.

At 41, I know I’m still young.

But I’ve seen what’s possible at 71.

That’s what inspires me to keep pushing.

To keep moving forward.

This is the ritual of 108

a dedication to Kali,

to Mother Earth,

to water, wind, sun, and soil.

A commitment to keep raising awareness.

To keep helping feed those in need.

A commitment to myself

to keep growing,

to keep choosing love.